Lamp-adjusting apparatus



Ndv. 12, 1929. s. H. COULTER 1 5 LAMP ADJUSTING APPARATUQS Original Filed April 13, 1925 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 GUY H. COULTER, or HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR rro MonoonAMrEns CORPORATION, OF rnrnnson, NEW JERSEY, A con-ronnrron onnnLAwAnn LAMP-ADJUSTING APPARATUS Application filed April 13, 1925, Serial No. 22,650. Renewed October 10, 1928.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a lamp adjusting apparatus, adapted for use with lamps used with a reflector and particularly designed for, vehicle headlights and the like.

The invention is particularly adaptable for use in connection with lamp bulbs having filaments which are intended for use at a predetermined distance from and at a prede termined angle relatively to the reflector with which used.

An object of the invention is the provision of a bulb supporting means, permitting the I mounting of the bulb at various angles of rotation in the supporting means. I

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of mounting means for a bulb whereby the bulb may be moved longitudinally so as to be positioned at varyin distance from the reflector with which use Another object of the invention isv the pro-' vision of a bulb supporting means adapted for effecting a tilting of the bulb relatively to a reflector with which used. 1

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter, described and claimed. l

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings vwhich forrn a part of this specification and in which,

Fig. aheadlight embodying the inventiorh'showing parts in section andpartsin elevation,

r Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on substantially line a-e of Fig. 1, e

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational View taken online 3-3 of Fig. 1,

- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view I taken on substantially line H of Fig. .1,

. Fig. 5 is a side elevational viewof thebulb andsocket,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side .elevational View of a modified form of socket,

Fig.- 7 is a fragmentary side'elevational" view ofxa further modified form of socket,

Fig. 8 is an elevational view illustrating the position cfthe filaments in the bulb.

, Asshown-inlthe drawingathe invention'is 1 is a central verticalsectional view ofmountedi therein.

illustrated as used with a vehicle headlight, comprising a casing 12 having a lens 13 1 mounted therein and provided with a parabolic reflectorlt. The reflector 14 is provided with an opening'15 which is circular throughout the major portion of its circumference and provided'with a slight notch 16 at one end thereof. The rear: wall 17 ofthef heacllight casing is provided with an opening 18 formed therein, the marginal edges of the-rear wall 17, at the opening 18, being inturned and formed in a plate 25, which is secured to the I rear wall 17 by means of a suitable screw 26, the screw 26 being projected through the slot 22. The arrangement issuch that upon looseningthe nut 26, from the screw or bolt 26, the plate 21 may be moved vertically in the-casing 12. .A supporting bracket 27 is formed U-shaped atone end and provided with a neck 28 in which the screw. 23- is adapted to thread, a; spiral spring 29 being,

positioned upon thescr'ew 23 in bracing reladownwardlydirected leg 30 of the U and at the opposite end,the plate 25. 1 J

The bracket 27 has an angularly turned conventionalmanner adapted for the reception of a neck 33 which is mounted on a light .tion and adapted to engage at one end the 3 portion 31 which is welded, soldered,or

-bulb.34, having the lighting filaments 35 Projecting V outwardly from theneck 33 of the light bulb are trunnions 36 each ofv whicl1,-whenthe neck is inserted into the socket 32, is adapted to .en-

gage in alongitudinally extendingslotfl37,

which communicateswith an; angularly s I turned slot 38. The connectionis thewell known bayonet oint connection for mounting a light bulb on a socket, a suitable coil spring 39 being provided for maintaining the proper contacts.

' light bulb relatively to the socket is desirable,

in order to bring the filaments into the desired position for properly focusing and reflecting. Modified forms are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 6 the socket 32 is shown with the longitudinally extending-slot 37and provided with the lateral notches In Fig. 7 I have shown the socket 32 and the longitudinally extending slot 37 communicating with the angularly turned slot 38", one edge of which is provided with the notches 40",. In the manufacture of light bulbs, the filaments, which generally lie in a plane or in a pair of planes, are definitely positioned relatively to the trunnions in the various light bulbs, so that, when the lig it bulb is placed in the socket, the'filaments, with the sockets as now ordinarily constructed, will. belyingin varying planes, depending upon their location in the light bulb at the time of the manufacture of the light bulb.

. With the different reflectors, it is necessary that thesefilaments lie in acertain plane, in

order to have the proper focusing and the most eflicient reflection. Consequently, it is desirable to effect a rotation of the light bulb relatively'to the socket in which mounted, in order to bring about the proper focusing. The presence of the notches 40in the socket permits this positioning of the light bulbinv various positions, while at the same time a secure mounting of the light bulb in the socket-is provided. I

. Asshown in the drawings, the socket '32. is projected through the opening 15, the,

angularly turned portion 31 of the bracket :being engaged in the notch 16, so'that the socket, itself, is not rotatable relatively to the reflector .14; It is also-desirable to movev the socket longitudinally"iniorder to place Ysocket 32 being the filament the proper distance from the reflector '14:." In order to effect this longitudinal movement of the socket, so as to carry the light bulb" away from or cause it to approach the reflector, the screw'23 is provided. -It is apparent that by'threading the "screw 23, the socket may be moved longii 1 the; axis of the socket be tilted tothe'ho'rt' zont'al, inorder to' raise the filament-,of the light bulb to the proper height, so as to permit proper focusing. plish this, I have mounted the screw 23 slidably relatively to the casing wall 17, as clescribed. l/Vhen itis desired to tilt the socket In order to accom- 32, a loosening of thenut 26- on the screw or bolt 26 will permit the screw 23 to be moved vertically, so as to efiect aslight tilting of the socket 232. Then theproper adjustment has been had, ati ghtening of the nut 26 will serve to bind the var ious parts the spring 29 serves to retain the plate 25 in close engagement with the guidemembers l9 and 20, to prevent any vertical movement of the screw 23, should the nut 26, for any reason, become loosened. 7 While I have illustrated and described the "in their adjusted position. The presence of preferred form of structure, I do not wish i to limit myself to the precise form of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variationsv and modilications'as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patentis: V

l. A light bulb socket supporting mechanism of the class describedadapted for use with a head light casing having arear wall, areflector and a socketprojected throughan opening in the reflector comprising: a bracket having an arm extending substantially parallel to the axis of said socket and secured thereto; a U-shaped support project. ing upwardly from the rear end of said arm,

one of said legs being longer-thanthe other and the longer of said legs being'attached at its end to the rear end of saidtarm; a

with the inner surface of said rear wall and covering said opening, said plate having an opening formed therein for the. reception of said screw, said screw; effecting, upon its threading in said legs, and axial movement of said socket;relativelyfto said reflector, said screw and said plate being movable vertically relatively to said casingat will for eifecting. a tilting of said socket'to the :horizontal; and'means for locking said screw against vertical movement-relatively to said 1 casing. i Y 2. A light bulb supporting mechanism-of thefclass described adapted for use with a head light casing having a rear wall, a reflectorand a light bulb projecting through an opening in said reflector comprising; a

plate loosely'positioned normally in engagement with the inner surface of the rear wall of said casing, said rear wall having an'open ing formedtherein'and: adapted for being covered by saidv plate-5 screw projected 7 through said opening and through an opening formed in said plate; a locking plate positioned inwardly of said screw supporting plate; means for clamping said locking plate to lock said screw supporting plate against relative movement relatively to said casing; a U-shaped supporting bracket having one leg longer than the other, each of said legs 7 being provided with threaded openings for the reception of said screw, the longer of said legs having a neck formed thereon for affording a greater bearing for said screw; and a forwardly turned portion on the end of the longer of said legs extending substantially parallel to the axis of and secured to said socket, a threading of said screw inwardly or outwardly effecting an axial movement of said socket and a vertical movement of said screw relatively to said casing effecting a tilting of said socket to the horizontal; and a spring embracing said screw and engaging, at one end, the shorter of said legs, and at the opposite end said locking plate for normally retaining said screw in an inwardly thrust position and for preventing rattling of said parts, said locking plate being vertically stationary relatively to said casing and provided at its upper end with a longitudinally extending slot, said screw engaging in said slot and riding longitudinally thereof in its vertical movements.

In testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification. V

GUY H. COULTER. 

